Apparatus for forming moon characters for the visually handicapped

Abstract

The machine 10 may be used to emboss characters of embossed script, and comprises a paper support 12 and an escapement mechanism 20 from a typewriter. Embossable paper is fed from around a roller 22 to a position between an embossing stylus 14 and a resilient anvil 28. The stylus 14 is moved against the anvil to impress the paper, and moves in a horizontal plane to emboss characters in the paper. A coupling 18 comprising a pantograph mechanism causes the stylus 14 to follow with reduced amplitude, movement of a describing member 16. The describing member 16 is a ring in which the user's finger is placed. The finger is run over a fingerboard 34 to describe the desired character, which is embossed in the paper by the stylus 14. The fingerboard has grooves to guide the finger. After each character is completed, the escapement mechanism 20 is operated to move the paper support 12 to present a fresh area of the paper to the stylus.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A sheet material embossing machine for generating a line of embossed characters, said machine comprising a sheet material support, an embossing stylus, stylus moving means operable to move said stylus with respect to said support into and out of a position in which said stylus impresses sheet material supported on said support, a finger board, a manually movable describing member positioned above the finger board, tracery means on the finger board for guiding said manually movable describing member positioned above the finger board operable to effect movement thereof in a horizontal plane above the finger board to describe the character to be embossed on the sheet material on said support, a coupling between said describing member and one of said stylus and said support, said coupling causing relative movement between said stylus and said support, said relative movement following movement of said describing member, said machine further comprising drive means operable to move said support in a transverse, stepwise manner relative to said stylus to present successive transverse areas of the sheet material supported on said support to said stylus, and means for effecting stepwise longitudinal movement of the sheet material relative to the stylus to present successive longitudinal areas of the sheet material supported on said support to said stylus. 
     
     
       2. A machine according to claim 1, wherein said coupling couples said stylus to said describing member and said drive means drives said the support. 
     
     
       3. A machine according to claim 1, wherein said relative movement between said stylus and said support is reduced in amplitude with respect to said movement of said describing member. 
     
     
       4. A machine according to claim 3, wherein said coupling comprises a pantograph mechanism for reducing the amplitude of movement. 
     
     
       5. A machine according to claim 1, wherein said describing member is movable in a plane, said stylus is movable in a plane parallel to said plane of movement of said describing member and said stylus is mounted on a frame, said frame being pivotable about an axis parallel to said planes of movement, to move said stylus into and out of its sheet-impressing position. 
     
     
       6. A machine according to claim 1, wherein said support comprises an anvil of resilient material, said stylus being urged against said anvil when in its sheet impressing position, to impress sheet material positioned between said stylus and said anvil. 
     
     
       7. A machine according to claim 1, wherein said support comprises a roller around which a sheet of embossable material may be coiled, and from around which said sheet may be uncoiled to take up a position in which an area of said sheet is presented to said stylus. 
     
     
       8. A machine according to claim 1, comprising a first control key operable to move said stylus into its sheet-impressing position and a second control key operable to cause said drive means to move said support relative to said stylus. 
     
     
       9. A machine according to claim 8, further comprising a third control key operable to operate said first and said second control keys. 
     
     
       10. A machine according to claim 1, in which the drive means comprise a typewriter escapement. 
     
     
       11. A sheet material embossing machine for generating a line of embossed characters, said machine comprising a sheet material support, an embossing stylus, stylus moving means operable to move said stylus with respect to said support into and out of a position in which said stylus impresses sheet material supported on said support, a finger board, a manually-movable describing member positioned above the finger board containing a finger-receiving opening within which a finger can be engaged to effect movement thereof in a horizontal plane above the finger board to describe the character to be embossed, a coupling between said describing member and one of said stylus and said support, said coupling causing relative movement between said stylus and said support, said relative movement following movement of said describing member, said machine further comprising drive means operable to move said support in a transverse, stepwise manner relative to said stylus to present successive transverse areas of the sheet material supported on said support to said stylus and means for effecting stepwise, longitudinal movement of the sheet material relative to the stylus to present successive longitudinal areas of the sheet material supported on said support to said stylus. 
     
     
       12. A sheet material embossing machine for generating a line of embossed characters, said machine comprising a sheet material support, an embossing stylus, stylus moving means operable to move said stylus with respect to said support into and out of a position in which said stylus impresses sheet material supported on said support, a describing member movable to describe the outline of a character to be embossed, said describing member comprising a ring for receiving a finger of the user so that said describing member follows the movement of said finger, a coupling between said describing member and one of said stylus and said support, a finger board across the surface of which said finger may be moved while in said ring, said finger board being provided with surface formations for guiding said finger, a coupling between said describing member and one of said stylus and said support, said coupling causing relative movement between said stylus and said support, said relative movement following movement of said describing member, said machine further comprising drive means operable to move said support in a stepwise manner relative to said stylus to present successive areas of sheet material supported in said support to said stylus. 
     
     
       13. A sheet material embossing machine for generating a line of embossed characters, said machine comprising a sheet material support, an embossing stylus, stylus moving means operable to move said stylus with respect to said support into and out of a position in which said stylus impresses sheet material supported in said support, a describing member movable to describe the outline of a character to be embossed, said describing member comprising a ring for receiving a finger of a user so that said describing member follows movement of said finger, a finger board across the surface of which said finger may be moved while in said ring, said finger board being provided with surface formations for guiding said finger, wherein said surface formations are grooves corresponding to elements of characters of an embossed writing system, a coupling between said describing member and one of said stylus and said support, said coupling causing relative movement between said stylus and said support, said relative movement following movement of said describing member, said machine further comprising drive means operable to move said support in a stepwise manner relative to said stylus to present successive areas of sheet material supported in said support to said stylus.